Root canals, (endodonics) are OK.... it's extractions that are the real bad guys. Any dental procedures of that type should be proceeded and followed by 02 dives to ensure good healing of radiated bone.

You may want to switch to a dentist that has more experience with OC patients. Check with your oncologist for a reference to one. That's what I did.

Good luck.

Hi Susan!

Great advice.

I had my pre-treatment wisdom tooth extractions done by a specialist at UCSF.

I may go back to him for the fillings, but frankly seems like overkill.

My "local" dentist is 30 minutes away. UCSF is 3 hours. :-) Not too many in between.

Michaelii

Three years. WOW. You may want to ask your UCSF specialist if he/she knows of any prothodontists with cancer expertise closer to you. As usual, Brian is correct that root canals are usually okay. (I've had 3 post TX and did not need any HBO, etc), but I was cautioned against any extractions. As for fillings, I stayed with the specialist as he is more aware of the need for extra care in dealing with my max nuked jaw.

Michaelii,

You asked about the "natural" thyroid meds and I have been on those in the past. I understand the thyroxin comes from pigs. Some people process it better but consistancy of dosage can be an issue or so my doc said. It isn't homeopathic just another source. Ultimately we didn't see the results I needed and we went back to synthroid.

Michael, I needed a root canal earlier this year -- My fairly young dentist and I both checked around and since a root canal only deals with the tooth and tissue (Ream it, clean it, pack it and back-fill), we found it to be OK.

Pulling the tooth would be a different story, I'm sure.

I'm still mostly doing liquids (in part because I still have six cases of Nutren 2.0, 500 cal/can and I'm waaay too frugal to get rid of them except down the gullet [and recycle the cans]) and also because I'm not yet adept at moving solids around my mouth to chew them. Also, I lost a lot of those taste buds that partially came back when they removed my tongue front. So that means I am getting all my vitamins without taking supplements.

Hey, be sure not to take the antacids less than a half-hour after or an hour or so before the synthroid (aka Levoxyl) because the calcium will destroy it.

Ideally synthroid should be taken first thing in the AM at least 30 minutes before consuming anything other than water. Hypo thyroid can lead to lack of energy, and if you are too tired to do things that burn calories that can impact weight. However since I know you own a place that has killer food..... your underactive thyroid might be being assisted by an overactive fork.

Oh my...I never had a lot of energy to begin with!! My GF is really going to be upset if I loose more get-up-and-go...Oh boy. I hope my thyroid is spared...it was hit...I know that much. I'll finish my txs 11-4-08. Every time I feel tired I'm going to blame the txs...If I can't sleep (like now) I'll also blame the txs...I'll have a lifetime of excuses to use..LOL.

What are the chances the thyroid will have problems? Does it usually become over or under active?

Hmmm, pig horomones eh Suess57...kinda poetic :-)

Sounds interesting and I'll ask about it.

Brian, I do take the synthyroid first thing BUT, with coffee (with cream :-P) so can never be sure if I am doing the right thing, but seem to have fairly stable readings.

The irony is, I would be at a healthier weight if I DID eat here, in our 5 star restaurant, but the 120 hour work weeks result instead in mostly processed and junk type foods which are bad for me for every reason, cancer and obesity just two of them.

I've been reading about the impact of excess weight on cancer as well.

Pete, what I did, was donated the Osmolean (?) to a local cancer resource charity...they put it to good use (the chemicals and corn starch CAN'T have been good to continue on), I got a tax write off and moved a mountain of flats out of my room. Something to think about when you are really ready to drop them.

I had a lot of trouble, and kinda still do, moving food around and my tongue was not cut up nearly as much as yours.

Still hurts when I try to articulate my tongue around to certain positions in my mouth. In fact, when I am tired my original "site" hurts a LOT, sometimes I need to pop a Tylenol for it.

I can also tell you Pete not to rush the solids, once I was ready I had NO TROUBLE (and still don't) eating despite the discomfort and pain.

Which, brings me to another question Brian...any ideas on the gastric bypass option and how it might impact any future treatments I might need in case of recurrence, increase in chances due to the surgery, etc etc.

By way Brian -- In case I never said so THANK YOU!

Hi there I am not Brian but have had a Gastric bypass done many yeard prior to the oc surgery the biggest problem I had with the surgery due to the gastric by pass was the nose feeding tube. But that is a personal issue with me and gaging...It may not bother you at all...Once they got the issue straighted out the feeding tube was fine...not sure exactly what the problem was but in recovery firecting it with the bypass and the stomach being smaller...
Brian will probably have more informed answer for you dear...but it was workable...

Dianne